Roller type paint applicator

ABSTRACT

A paint-roller assembly comprising a cantilevered roller balanced relative to a support shaft which has a tubular handle integrally molded thereon; said handle having transverse grooves opening toward the roller for hanging the roller on a paint bucket, including undulations conforming to the user&#39;&#39;s hand, and including an axial socket in which an auxiliary extension handle is removably engaged and which permits two-handed paint application.

waited States Patent David 1. Welt 7480 S.W. 128th, Miami, Fla. 33143[21] Appl Nov 822,957

[22] Filed May 8, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 [72] Inventor [54]ROLLER TYPE PAINT APPLICATOR 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.C1 15/230.l1, 15/143 B [51] 1nt.C1 B05c l/08, B25g 1/04 [50]Field oISearch 15/27, 143

R, 143 A, 144 B, 145, 230.1 1; 29/] 10.5; 306/30; 40l/68, 197, 208, 218,219, 220

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,378,900 6/1954 Adamsl5/230.11 UX 2,820,290 1/1958 Porter 15/144 B UX 2,873,463 2/1959 Nunes15/145 3,332,131 7/1967 Weiler 29/110.5 X

Primary Examiner- Daniel Blum Attorney-John Cyril Malloy ABSTRACT: Apaint-rol1er assembly comprising a cantilevered roller balanced relativeto a support shaft which has a tubular handle integrally molded thereon;said handle having transverse grooves opening toward the roller forhanging the roller on a paint bucket, including undulations conformingto the users hand, and including an axial socket in which an auxiliaryextension handle is removably engaged and which permits twohanded paintapplication.

PATENTEU AUG 3 I97:

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HT ORA/EX ROLLER TYPE EAIN T APPLXCATOR Applying paint by means ofrollers is well known in the art, however, containers for holding thepaint being applied have comprised a relatively flat, angularbottomedtray. The use of this type container generally results in an excessiveuse of paint. Further, although it is alleged that paint rollers can bemore readily used to apply paint than through the use of conventionalbrushing, however, the rollers are relatively heavy and use of a rollerover a long period of time can cause fatigue to an inexperiencedworkman. Additionally, roller type applicators are manipulated in onehand and this rapidly tires the user.

Primary objects of the present invention are to provide a novel paintroller type paint applicator which includes an improved handleconstruction;

To provide a novel handle for a roller type paint applicator in whichmeans are provided to hand the applicator on the edge of a support;

To provide a novel handle on a roller type paint applicator whichincludes a hand-conforming portion and in which an axial socket permitsan auxiliary balancing extension-handle to be detachably connected tothe molded handle permitting two-handed energy-conserving use of theapplicator.

These, together with other and more specific objects and advantages ofthe invention, will become apparent from a consideration of thefollowing description of an exemplary embodiment when taken inconjunction with the drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the novel roller type paint applicator;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, showing by phantom lines a fragmentaryportion of a paint bucket edge upon which the applicator can be hung;and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken on the plane of line3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, a roller type paint applicator is indicatedgenerally at El) and comprises a support shaft 12 integral with aC-shaped portion 14 having a lateral shaft (not shown in detail) uponwhich a cantilever roller 16 is journaled. The roller is of any suitablematerial and will generally be of the replacable type. The roller isbalanced with respect to the longitudinal axis A of the support shaft,it being noted that portion x of the roller is less than portion y ofthe roller i.e. the roller is eccentric relative to the shaft axis A.

The shaft 12 includes one or more longitudinal grooves 18 at the otherend, and molded and integrally connected to the shaft 12 and overlyingthe grooves 18 is a tubular handle 20. The handle 20 is elongated andpreferably molded from a suitable plastic, including open ended grooves22 at its inner end which open toward the roller, longitudinalconcavities as seen at 24 and spaced undulations 26 at substantially 90to the concavities. As seen in FIG. 2, the hooks 22 conveniently permitthe roller assembly to be hung on either the outer or inner side of abucket edge containing paint, or on any other convenient support.

The handle, as seen in FIG. 3, opens axially and includes a recessed,threaded bore 27; having relatively coarse threads, and into which acorrespondingly threaded end 28 of an elongated auxiliary handle 30 isremovably secured. The handle 30 in most instance will be of a length ofabout inches, for example, and this permits paint to be applied to thewalls, for example, with the painter using both hands i.e. one handgrasps the handle and the other grasps the auxiliary handle 30. lneffect, the roller assembly is balanced about the handle and the heavypaint-saturated roller is comfortably balanced in the user's two hands,and paint can be applied over a much longer period of time, withoutbecoming tired, than is possible with conventional rollers held in onlyone hand.

Additionally, if preferred, the handle 30 can include an extensiblesection utilizing the teachings of applicants US. Pat.

No. 3,259,407 related to locks for telescopic tubes; in this instancethe auxiliary handle 30, if extensible, permits ready painting of aceiling or a high place without the use of a ladder. Of course, theauxiliary handle can comprise an integral pole of any convenient lengthand permit the roller to be readily used for painting ceiling etc. stillaffording the previously mentioned, balanced, two-handed construction.

In the preferred embodiment a skirt 32 is provided on the end of themolded handle in circumposed relation about the adjacent end of theextension handle 30 and in spaced relation therefrom to provide aprotective hood enclosure 34 to prevent drops of paint from encrustingupon the connecting thread area and which skirt also serves to separatethe rim 36 of the skirt from the outer surface of the extension handleas it is flexed in use, thus prolonging the appearance of the handle atthis wear point and resisting fraying, weakening, or rupturing of thehandle, such as by stress risers extending longitudinally of the moldedhandle, to this end, the 'end of the extension handle is radiused as at38 to smoothly join the molded portion.

What I claim is:

l. A paint roller assembly comprising: a support shaft including acantilever supported, paint applying roller journaled for rotation aboutits longitudinal axis; and a handle including means integrallyconnecting the lower end of said handle in longitudinally extendingrelation from the upper end of said support shaft,

said handle being tubular and including a rearwardly opening socket,

said socket including means for removably connecting an auxiliary handlesubstantially balancing the roller assembly about said handle,

said handle having opposed sides extending longitudinally and havingintermediate, longitudinally extending indentations for orienting auser's finger tips when the handle is gripped, said sides andindentations being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the axisof rotation of the cantilever supported roller, opposite sides of thehandle at substantially to the indented sides having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced finger accommodating undulations for furtherorienting a users fingers and conveniently and comfortably accommodatingones hand.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which an auxiliary handle isremovably disposed in said axial socket.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said means comprisescooperating, threaded socket and stub shaft portions on said molded andauxiliary handles.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said handle includes atleast one outwardly opening, transverse notch portion opening towardsaid roller and parallel to the axis of rotation thereof for permittingthe assembly to be hung on the edge of a support.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 5 including a second outwardlyopening, transverse notch parallel to said first-mentioned one wherebythe assembly can be hung on the inside or outside of a support edge suchas a paint bucket or the like.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which saidcantilever-supported roller is eccentric relative to an axial projectionof the longitudinal axis of the support shaft and having a major portionprojecting laterally and outwardly beyond said axial projection tosubstantially balance the roller about said longitudinal axis.

7. A paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handle includes askirt portion extending longitudinally from the handle remote from saidsupport shaft, an auxiliary handle removably secured in said handlesocket, said skirt portion surrounding said auxiliary handle and inspaced relation therefrom and defining a protective hood at the junctureof said handle and said auxiliary handle when in assembly.

8. In a paint roller assembly comprising a support shaft including apaint applying roller joumaled for rotation about its longitudinal axis;and handle means including means integrally connecting the lower end ofsaid handle in longitudinally extending relation from the upper end ofsaid support shaft, the improvement comprising:

ing a users finger tips when the handle is gripped, said sides andindentations being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the axisof rotation of the roller, opposite sides of the handle at substantiallyto said indentations having a plurality of longitudinally spaced fingeraccommodating indentations for further orienting a users fingers.

1. A paint roller assembly comprising: a support shaft including acantilever supported, paint applying roller journaled for rotation aboutits longitudinal axis; and a handle including means integrallyconnecting the lower end of said handle in longitudinally extendingrelation from the upper end of said support shaft, said handle beingtubular and including a rearwardly opening socket, said socket includingmeans for removably connecting an auxiliary handle substantiallybalancing the roller assembly about said handle, said handle havingopposed sides extending longitudinally and having intermediate,longitudinally extending indentations for orienting a user''s fingertips when the handle is gripped, said sides and indentations beingdisposed in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of thecantilever supported roller, opposite sides of the handle atsubstantially 90* to the indented sides having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced finger accommodating undulations for furtherorienting a user''s fingers and conveniently and comfortablyaccommodating one''s hand.
 2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 inwhich an auxiliary handle is removably disposed in said axial socket. 3.The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said means comprisescooperating, threaded socket and stub shaft portions on said molded andauxiliary handles.
 4. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which saidhandle includes at least one outwardly opening, transverse notch portionopeNing toward said roller and parallel to the axis of rotation thereoffor permitting the assembly to be hung on the edge of a support.
 5. Thestructure as claimed in claim 5 including a second outwardly opening,transverse notch parallel to said first-mentioned one whereby theassembly can be hung on the inside or outside of a support edge such asa paint bucket or the like.
 6. The structure as claimed in claim 1 inwhich said cantilever-supported roller is eccentric relative to an axialprojection of the longitudinal axis of the support shaft and having amajor portion projecting laterally and outwardly beyond said axialprojection to substantially balance the roller about said longitudinalaxis.
 7. A paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handleincludes a skirt portion extending longitudinally from the handle remotefrom said support shaft, an auxiliary handle removably secured in saidhandle socket, said skirt portion surrounding said auxiliary handle andin spaced relation therefrom and defining a protective hood at thejuncture of said handle and said auxiliary handle when in assembly. 8.In a paint roller assembly comprising a support shaft including a paintapplying roller journaled for rotation about its longitudinal axis; andhandle means including means integrally connecting the lower end of saidhandle in longitudinally extending relation from the upper end of saidsupport shaft, the improvement comprising: said handle being tubular andincluding a rearwardly opening socket including means for removablyconnecting an auxiliary handle for substantially balancing the paintapplying roller about said handle, said handle having opposed sidesextending longitudinally and having intermediate, longitudinallyextending indentations for orienting a user''s finger tips when thehandle is gripped, said sides and indentations being disposed in a planesubstantially normal to the axis of rotation of the roller, oppositesides of the handle at substantially 90* to said indentations having aplurality of longitudinally spaced finger accommodating indentations forfurther orienting a user''s fingers.